Developing apparatus for sensitized materials



J. H. HILL 2,943,555 DEVELOPING APPARATUS FOR SENSITIZED MATERIALS July5, 1960 Filed March 21, 1956 FIG. 2

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INVENTOR. H. HILL JOHN A TTOENEYS United States.

DEVELOPING APPARATUSFOR' SENSITIZ' D MATERIALS Johnl-I'. mu, so PineSL,MouutfClemens, Mich.

Filed Mar. 21,1956, Ser. No; 572,938

4 Claims. or. 95-89 Thisinvention relates to apparatusfordeyelopinglight sensitive. materials and, more particularlyto;apparatusi utilizing a gaseous developing-agent such;as-.vaporizedammonia.

Atypical application of the invention is in the develop ment ofblue-print paper or the like;which is. -relatively insensitive to.-ordinary light.

An object of theinvention is toprovide asimple inexpensive developingapparatus of .this type having improved,; more rapid operation -than-,apparatus heretofore known.

The vinvernion.generally contemplates a flexible screen from theapparatus when the developing is completed."

One form of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings.

Fig. l is a generally elevational view of apparatus according to thisinvention with parts broken away and shown in section to illustratestructure.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the upper end of the apparatus.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of screen forming a holder forthe sensitized material.

Fig. 4 is a partly diagrammatic end view of;the screen rolled up withsensitized material to be developed...

Fig. 5 is an enlarged sectional view on line 5-5 of Fig. l.

The developing apparatus shown in thedrawings atent has round, elongate,cylindrical form with a hollow base 11 and a hollow body 12 cooperatingin operative relation to form a closedchamber or vessel 13 for gaseousdeveloping agent such as vaporized ammonia. Base 11 and body 12 areformed of material such as aluminum or a plastic material which resistthe corrosive action of the ammonia vapors. In the form shown, base 11is formed of aluminum and body 12 is formed of a transparent plastic. Ahandle 15 may be mounted on body 12 by means of an encircling band 16 asshown.

Base 11 has a generally radially inwardly projecting flange 15 providinga shoulder for detachably supporting the open lower end portion 19 ofbody 12. Flange 18 terminates in an axially upwardly turned portion 26which provides a centering ring for end '19 of body 12. A vaporizer 22for an aqueous solution of ammonia is mounted adjacent one side ofbottom portion 23 of base 11. Vaporizer 22 is preferably of a type whichoperates for so long as there is solution in it, but which ceases tooperate when all of the developer solution has evaporated. For thispurpose the vaporizer is shown as being of the electrolytic resistancetype having a cup 24 I" E Q@ 2,943.53.) Patented July iii 1 360 forholding the ammonia solution with exposed electrodes 25 and 26 therein.This particular type vaporizer is known to th'eiart.

A fan. 28 rotatedby an electric motor 29 is removably mounted generallyconcentrically on base 11 above heater 22 by means of brackets 30secured as by screws 31 to the casing of motor 29 and having hookportions 32 whichtengage overring- 20 at the top of base 11. Fan motor29 and vaporizer 22 are connected in parallel by an. electrical circuitwhich includes a cord 34 preferably equipped with a standard plug 35 forplugging into a wall socket and a switch 36having amanually operabletoggle 37; Bodyv 12-has -anupperclosed end 40, portions of which areapertured as at 4-1 and other portions of which are imperforate. A valveplate 42 is pivotally mounted on closed end 40 through pivot 43. Thevalve plate is arranged so'-that-it can be'turned selectively to coveropenings, .41 or uncoverthem. v

A holder 45 for sensitive material 46 to be developed comprisesagenerally flat flexible, preferably 'foraminous element which isresistant to the corrosive effects of ammoniavapors. The holder isformed with projections extending laterally of the major plane of theholder, and for this :purposemay becorrugated as shown in Fig. 3.Theholder may be formed of ordinary aluminum screen.

In use it may be assumed that plug 35 has been connectedintoawall outletand that switch 36 is open so that there is no current in fan motor 29or vaporizer 22. DeveloperbodylZhas been lifted off of base 11. Aquantity ,of aqueous ammonia solution is placed'in vaporizer, cup .24.This may be done if desired without removing the fanassemblyfrom base 11because ofthe eccentric positioning of vaporizer 22 relatively to thefan assembly The sensitized sheet of material '46 to be developed islaid over holder sheet 45. and the two sheets are rolled up together tothe form shown generally in Fig. 4. Sheet 46 .is contacted onlyby thecrests of the corrugated hol-der so that the sheet is spaced fromintermediate portions of't'he holder and so that adjacent layers of the.sensitized material in the roll are spaced radially from each.other. Theroll is slidably'inserted in the openend 19 of developer body 12'. Whenthe roll is releasedwithin the body,.holder sheet45 tends resilientlyto. .unrollior expand into frictional engagement against the walls'fofbody 12 to secure the roll against movement .in the body .duringordinary handling and during developin g.

Body'12 withthe inserted roll is mounted on base 11 by. resting end 19of the body on shoulder 18 of the base. Ringltl facilitates centeringbody 12 on base 11. Toggle. 37 istripped to close switch 36for'actuating fan 28 and vaporizer 22 As the ammonia solution isvaporized fan 28 moves the vapors upwardly into body 12 through screen-45 and around sensitive material 46. Maximum circulation is providedaround the sensitized material by the foraminous nature of screen 45 andby the spacing between adjacent convolutions of the material and between the material and the screen itself.

When the solution in cup '24 has been entirely vaporized, the contactbetween electrodes 25 and 26 opens to deactuate the vaporizer. However,fan 28 continues to operate because of the parallel connection of thevaporizer and fan. The fan is allowed to continue to operate until thedeveloping is complete. The transparent nature of body 12 facilitatesvisual inspection to determine when the developing is complete.

After material 26 has been completely developed, valve plate 42 isrotated to uncover openings 41 in the top of body 12, and the fan purgesvessel 13 of the ammonia fumes. The fan may then be turned ofi bytripping toggle 37 and developer body 12 lifted upwardly from base 1-1so that roll 47 may be manually removed from the body through its openend 19. Roll 47 is unrolled,

The fan assembly is replaced by again hooking hooks 32 over the ring.

In practice it has been found that only about a half teaspoon of ammoniasolution is required for one developing cycle, so that the cycle is veryshort. About three minutes is required for one cycle, even when arelatively large amount of material is to be developed. A given holder45 can accommodate a wide range of sizes of sensitized material andfrequently can accommodate a number of sheets of sensitized material.Holder sheets 45 of various sizes can be used in body 12.

Iclaim:

1. Apparatus for developing light sensitive sheet material comprising,means forming a vessel for a fiuid developing agent with which saidapparatus is adapted to be used, a holder for the material to bedeveloped, said holder being removably positioned in said vessel, saidholder being formed of a generally fiat form-retaining foraminousmaterial so that the developing agent can circulate therethrough, saidholder being flexible so that to be developed for holding the same, saidholder including a plurality of lateral projections engaging the sheetof material around which said holder is formed, whereby I to spaceportions of said holder from the sheet of material to facilitatecirculation of developing agent around the material, said projectionsbeing distributed generally uniformly throughout the area of said holderto facilitate holding sheets of material of random sizes, saidprojections having generally uniform height for supportingly engagingsheets of material at points generally uniformly distributed throughouttheir areas.

2; Apparatus for developing light sensitive sheet material comprising,means forming a vessel for a fluid developing agent with which saidapparatus is adapted to be used, a-holder for the material to bedeveloped, said holder being removably positioned in said vessel, saidholder being formed of a generally fiat foraminous screen so that thedeveloping agent can circulate therethrough,

said screen being flexible so that it can be formed around it can beformed around a sheet of the sensitive material said screen tofacilitate holding sheets of material of random sizes, said deformationshaving generally uniform height for supportingly engaging sheets ofmaterial at points generally uniformly distributed throughout theirareas.

3. Apparatus for developing light sensitive sheet material comprising,means forming a vessel for a fluid developing agent with which saidapparatus is adapted to be'used, a holder for the material to bedeveloped, said holder beingremovably' positioned in said vessel, saidholder being formed of a generally flat foraminous screen so thatthedeveloping agent can circulate therethrough, said screen beingcorrugated, said screen being flexible and the corrugations thereinbeing arranged in generally parallel relation so that said screen can berolled up with a sheet of generally parallel sensitive material to bedeveloped for holding the same with the corrugations in said screenengaging the sheet of material to space adjacentlayers of the rolledmaterial apart, whereby to facili- 'tate circulation of developing agentaround the material said corrugations being ,arranged generallyuniformly throughout the length of said screen and extendingsubstantially throughout its width to facilitate holding sheets ofmaterial of random sizes.

4. Apparatus for developing light sensitive sheet material comprising,means forming a vessel for a fluid de veloping agent with which saidapparatus is adapted to be used, a holder for the material to bedeveloped, said holder being removably positioned in said vessel, saidholder being formed of a generally flat flexible screen which can beplaced in laminar relation with the sheet material to be developed androlled up therewith, said screen having a series of generally parallelcorrugations tions engaging the sheet material and spacing adjacentcirculation of developing agent around the sheet material layers thereofapart, said screen including said .crest portions being foraminousthroughout its area to facilitate and to minimize the area of contactbetween said crest portions and sheet material.'

References'Cited in the the of this patent v UNITED STATES PATENTS1,621,291 'Unger Mar. 15, 1927 1,624,586 Czako Apr. 12, 1927 1,659,841Spaulding Feb. 21, 1928 2,288,165 Krupa et al June 30, 1942 FOREIGNPATENTS 10,909 Great Britain 1913 194,060 Great Britain Mar. 8, 1923376,590 Germany June 1, 1923 453,215 Great Britain Nov. 30, 1934

